Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Congress Puts On Another Dog And Pony Show With Oil Executives...Again

Well...I see the Dems in Congress put on their make-up, their fake hair (those that wear 'em) and grandstanded on the issue of oil profits...or should that be oil "gouging"? Bloomberg:

Executives from the world's top oil companies, in a congressional hearing today, told U.S. lawmakers that competition and high costs justify the industry's opposition to taxes increases.

Representative Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, hauled in executives from the oil industry to testify on record profits and gasoline prices before his Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

The House passed a measure in February over oil-industry objections that would impose $18 billion in new taxes on oil and gas companies to pay for wind and solar projects and energy conservation measures. The industry argues that the money should go toward exploring for and producing more fossil fuels, which executives say could help bring down prices.

Hmmmmm, let's see...placing higher taxes on oil companies. Gee...I wonder who will end up paying for those? This is an enigmatic mystery wrapped in a riddle. Please let me know if you have the answer because I sure am stumped on this one. I can't imagine who would wind up paying the cost of those additional taxes levied on the oil companies.

John Hofmeister, head of Royal Dutch Shell PLC's (RDSA) U.S. operations said, CNN:

...it was an embarrassment for the "hundreds of thousands of employees dedicating their lives to energy...to be vilified by their own government."

"Shame on Congress for not having recognized that its own public policies are costing consumers high energy prices."

Exactly!

I don't know if PBS' Charlie Rose's past programs are available to view on the web, but Hofmeister appeared on the show last Tuesday, I believe. I watched it. This guy knows exactly what the problem is and how to solve it. If it's available to watch on the web, I'd recommend it. Mr. Hofmeister would be the perfect person to be the next Secretary of Energy, and let him rule autonomously. And no, I have no idea what his political bent is, I don't care - it doesn't matter. Seek out the Rose-Hofmeister interview and watch it.

If you want to know who is guilty of price-gouging, it's the federal government along with most state and local governments.

Besides, I though Liberals liked high gasoline prices. People drive less and Ma Earth is much happier is what they told us. Why the whining, Libs? For years you wanted higher gas prices - like Europe has - and now you're bitching about it? Be careful what you wish for.

It just goes to show you DD. You can take the cow out of the swamp, but you can't take the swamp out of the cow. Last I checked, nasty old swamp cows are full of gas. Maybe that has something to do with the plan so secret that it doesn't actually exist. Shhhhhh.

They trot this "price gouging" committe out every fuckin time the price of a gallon of gas goes up. And it's almost around the same time of year - spring - which means that oil co's and refineries are having to blend 30-some botique fuels to meet standards set by the govt, etc ,etc. And Congress wonders why the price increases? Either they really are the dumbest fucks around, or they're playing it all for political gain. Or both. Yeah, I vote both.

Basically I came to the conclusion a long that ALL politicians are crooks. Plain and simple. I also came to conclusion that too many things simply would not get done if played 100% to the rules. The fact is back room deals are necessary. Where the forgiveness ends though is where the back room deals only benefit the select few and no benefit carries on to the so called slobbering masses. Using food for fuel is a prime example of back room deals going way wrong for the masses. Right now I see very little hope that our now overly tainted government can do anything to benefit the masses despite all the pandering that goes on and on and on. Don't drink the koolaid its poodle piss I tell ya.